142 
249. Marbled Godwit. Limosa fedoa. L, 18. Plate XVIII A. A very large, pink, 
buff, and brown Wader with long, slightly up- turned bill. 
Distinctions. In general appearance much like the Curlews, but with slightly 
up-turned instead of decidedly down-turned bill. In colour, too unlike the Avocet, which 
also has an up-tumed bill, ever to be confused with it. The only species it is likely to be 
confused with is its close relative, the Hudsonian Godwit. In spring, its breast is pinkish- 
buff instead of chestnut red. The wing quills are finely speckled or marbled with dark 
on pinkish-buff (Figure 167), instead of being solidly dark, almost black. The tail and its 
upper coverts are barred with the pinkish-buff and dark, instead of the tail being prac- 
tically black and coverts white. 
Figure 167 
Marbled Primary of Marbled Godwit; scale, 
In autumn, the Marbled Godwit is of the same general coloration as in spring, but 
slightly pinker and without the fine breast venniculation. The autumn Hudsonian God- 
wits are almost pure white below with uniform shades of ashy elsewhere, though traces of 
the spring plumage often persist in the adults. , 
Field Marks. A large ochraceous and brown Wader. Long, up-turned bill, yellow 
orange at the base in spring, fleBh pink in autumn, separates it from the Curlews; and 
general coloration and evenly-coloured rump and tail of ochraceous barring from the 
black-tailed, white-rumped Hudsonian. Wings largely ochre instead of solid black. 
Distribution. North America. In Canada, it breeds on the prairies. Rare in the 
interior of British Columbia, more common on the coast in migration. 
A very conspicuous prairie bird. One cannot come within half a mile of 
its nest without both birds hurrying excitedly from afar, scolding and diving 
at the intruder. Their loud, exasperating “eradica-radica-rculica-radica” 
varied with li Your-crazy-crazy-crazy ” and confirmed by vociferous 
* ‘ kored-korecV f sets all the prairie on the alert. The Godwit often becomes 
a decided nuisance to the ornithologist who is quietly stalking other and 
shyer species and finds his efforts fail through the senseless alarm of this 
meddler. However, it is only on such special occasions that we are 
aggrieved at this Godwit. At other times we feel only impatience at 
the heedless busy-bodies that rush into unnecessary danger and advertise 
what they should most artfully conceal. Too often this Godwit suffers from 
its lack of self-control, for it offers a most tempting shot to the pot-hunter; 
an opportunity that is taken advantage of often enough to threaten the 
existence of the species. 
251. Hudsonian Godwit. Limosa haemastica. L, 15. In spring — upperparts, 
dark brown to crown, marked with more or less greyish or buffy and touches of rusty; 
underparts, reddish brown, more or less barred with dark, and suffusing up foreneck. 
Autumn — upperparts unmarked brownish grey; underparts, buffy white or dingy white, 
breast greyei . 
Distinctions. Distinguished from the Curlews by the slightly tumed-up instead of 
distinctly turned-down bill; from the Marbled Godwit by the red underparts in spring, 
and at all seasons by the all-dark, white-shafted primaries without marbling (compare 
with Figure 167) and white uppertail coverts. This species shows almost endless variation 
between the above plumages, but suggestions of the spring coloration are usually recog- 
nizable in all except young birds. 
Field Marks. Large Bize, straight or slightly turned up bill, and white coverts at base 
of black tail, will separate this from either the Curlews or the Marbled Godwit which are 
the only species that are likely to be confused with it. 
Distribution. North and South America. Breeds in the north from Mackenzie 
valley eastward. Migrates through the prairies and the east, south to Patagonia. 
